Today, in my Classroom Management class, we covered the topic of bullying. I think this is a very important issue. Bullying changes the courses of people's lives and we are missing out on so many people's wonderful spirits and ideas because of it. It needs to be dealt with properly and I can only hope that some day, it will no longer be an issue.
I know that after a string of bully-induced suicides, awareness always peaks and every famous person in the world hops on the "stay strong" and "it gets better" boats. You see things like The Trevor Project for homosexual students who are being bullied. The adds for these are is great and show support but I think we need to hear from every day people as well. You need to hear your neighbour's or your friend's or the girl in your math class' story. Personal connections are what will make a difference.
The great thing about some of the projects is that they get the word out. For example, the GoogleChrome "It Gets Better" video urged people to tell their stories. And that is just what happened. Just YouTube search "It gets better, I promise." In class today, we watched a preview for a movie coming out and I think it will have a great impact.
"The Bully Project" is a documentary that follows everyday children in the US who get bullied. These are people like you and I, and they suffer through bullying every day. They are made to feel worthless, or stupid, or ashamed of who they are. This should never happen. To anyone. Hopefully this documentary will be another step towards eliminating bullying.
I cannot wait for this movie to become available to everyone. Bullying must be stopped. Be brave. Stand up. Spread the word, spread awareness, spread empathy and caring. Spread love.
I've walked in these kids' shoes. I was one of the lucky ones though. I'm okay. In fact I think I'm better for it. It's a cruel, destructive and lonely place to be.
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